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We're prepared for our field season--are you prepared for yours?

Field season is here, and with it comes the necessity for efficient and accurate field data collection solutions. Read on to learn more about how Stone applies several options for streamlining this process, and how we can support your fieldwork.

Esri's Survey123 and Collector are mobile-based apps developed to support field data collection in the ArcGIS Online platform. Both apps support typical data standardization capabilities such as drop-downs, default values, and field aliases, and may be integrated to leverage the strengths of each app. A variety of other apps can be used with Survey123 and Collector for navigation, work order management, and mapping purposes. Survey123 is a form-based data collection solution, where point-based data is easily constructed using xForms (through Microsoft Excel). Collector is a map-centric data collection solution built from feature class schemas generated using ArcGIS, and is capable of collecting point, line, or polygon features. Stone has implemented both apps for clients in many capacities, a few of which are described below.

Survey123 in Action

To support our work with watershed organizations, municipalities, and Regional Planning Commissions, Stone developed a Survey123-based app for collecting data on stormwater problem areas and retrofit opportunities. The app simplifies the data collection workflow by completely replacing paper field data collection sheets and Microsoft-based reporting forms generated manually from field notes. Our app supports conditional questions, various appearance settings, and autofill, and seamlessly exports quality-controlled field data into a Microsoft Word document for submittal clients.

Collector in Action

Stone implements Collector app solutions for municipal and state clients to collect new field data or edit existing datasets. In 2017, for example, Stone developed a Collector app to conduct a field survey of stormwater infrastructure. An inventory already existed, so the team needed a way to access the data and update it with current information in the field. An example of the interface is shown below, while a part of the form for collection new features or confirming and collecting attribute information for existing infrastructure follows.

Interested in Stone's expertise in Field Data Collection with GIS/Data Management tools?

Learn more about ways to enhance your data collection solutions by visiting Stone's Geospatial & Data Solutions (GIS) page, which includes detailed pages on spatial analysis and statistics, application development, web application hosting, and data visualization.